


Past, Present, Future

by MorellaPike



Category: Batman Begins (2005)
Genre: Bisexual Male Character, Crossdressing, Gay Male Character, Homophobia, M/M, Multiple Personalities, jonathan crane and Kitten are the same person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-27
Updated: 2014-12-27
Packaged: 2018-03-03 19:05:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2871077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorellaPike/pseuds/MorellaPike
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rachel Dawes who? Jonathan Crane is Bruce's childhood friend. </p><p>Non compliant with Dark Knight or Dark Knight Rises, a few nods to Burton's Batman, mentions of Kurt Wilde from Velvet Goldmine (re-post from adultfanfiction.org)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Batman Begins

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a re-post from adultfanfiction.org. They reorganized the website and this story no longer appears in category. It can only be found through my author page. A few corrections were made during transfer.

When Bruce fell down the well into a cave of bats, it was his friend Jonathan Crane who had run up to the house for help.

When Bruce's parents died, Jonathan's mother stopped working at the manor. She had been there to help out Mrs. Wayne with the occasional big party the Wayne's threw. Jonathan's father was a well to do psychiatrist, and so ceasing all work outside the home not been a financial strain on the Crane family.

The day that Joe Chill died, Jonathan Crane had gone to court with Bruce. When Bruce asked him to drop him off at Falcone's, Jonathan obliged with some hesitation and a lot of worry. For seven years Jonathan lived in the fear that he had dropped Bruce off into his death.

So seven years later, when Alfred called in desperation that Bruce was at Wayne Manor and he had been poisoned, Jonathan could not focus long enough to decide on an emotion. Relief that Bruce was alive? That Jonathan had not led Bruce to his death was relieving. But the relief was short lived as the fear began to take over; Bruce had been poisoned. Bruce was possibly dying right now if Jonathan didn’t do something.

Of course he had rushed over as soon as he could. Alfred had led him into Bruce's bedroom. Bruce had been out in the narrows; he called Alfred for help. In the backseat of the car Bruce had kept repeating the same mantra, "blood, poison, Jonathan, take blood..." So of course, Alfred had called Jonathan, Bruce’s friend who was an expert in chemistry and man made drugs. 

When Jonathan saw Bruce lying in the bed fighting off imaginary foes, the reality of the situation hit Jonathan hard and fast. It was obvious Bruce was under the effects of the fear toxin. Once that had been settled everything else came together in short order. How was it that Bruce got infected with the fear toxin? Jonathan had never used it on anyone outside the custody of the police or Arkham. While it was possible that one of the minion's at Arkham had stolen some and somehow infected Bruce, why was Bruce in the narrows?

Quickly, he ran back to his car where he had stashed his briefcase with the mask and the toxin. In there was the antidote because you can never be too careful.

When Bruce woke up he asked Alfred how he had countered the poison.

"Well, I called Dr. Crane as you asked. He rushed right over of course,” ignoring, Bruce's horrified expression, Alfred continued," well, he looked you over for a bit, and injected you with something he had in his briefcase. You calmed down quickly after that. "

"What did he say?"

"That he'd seen the symptoms before." Alfred handed Bruce a glass of water. " Honestly I'm surprised he had something so readily available. Perhaps this poison has been spreading throughout the city."

"And why did you call Jonathan to help me again?"

"You were asking for him. You kept saying his name."

"Yes. Because he's the one that poisoned me."

Jonathan meanwhile was hiding in the public library. Here, he didn't look terribly out of place. Also, he couldn't imagine this would be high on the list of either Bruce or Ras Al Ghul to try and find him. He had never intended for Alfred to be a part of the mess he was about to make with Ras Al Ghul. Bruce wasn't even supposed to be in Gotham. But now his evil plans were unfoiling in front of him because Bruce had apparently decided to put his billions of dollars and all his martial arts training into becoming a giant crime fighting Bat.

Of course Jonathan wasn't 100% on that idea, merely a 99.9%. Batman appears at the same time Bruce reappears? Bruce always had the thing with the bats. Scarecrow poisons Batman, Alfred calls that Bruce has been poisoned. Oh, whom was he kidding? His oldest friend in the world was the Batman.

So now what? Was Bruce going to hand him over to the police? There's no way Jonathan could back out on Ras Al Ghul without joining the bodies at the bottom of the river. If he ran from Gotham surely Ras would find him. The more Jonathan tried to come up with an answer the worse the fear became, until Jonathan stopped resisting, let the fear come in waves, and let the Scarecrow take over.

 

\--------------

 

On Bruce's birthday, before the party, Bruce decided to confront Jonathan. When he arrived Jonathan was in the basement. The workers and inmates were pouring stuff into the water manes. Getting into Arkham was easy, getting rid of the minions was terribly easy. He was left alone in the room with Jonathan, who was wearing a potato sack on his head.

"What are you pouring into the water manes, Dr. Crane?" Bruce said in his best Batman voice.

"Dr. Crane isn't in right now, but if you'd like to make an appointment..." he said with the voice box on.

"That burlap doesn't fool me. I know who you are under there."

"Of course you do. Jonathan is in here, but I am not your friend. I am Scarecrow."

Bruce had to repeat it over in his head to make sure he had heard that correctly. It took even longer to formulate what the next step of action should be.

"In any case," continued the Scarecrow in that eerie voice, "I know who you are underneath that bat costume, too."

It was then that the sirens outside began. Bruce panicked. He had very little time to decide on what he was going to do with Jonathan, or Scarecrow. Leaving him in the basement for the police seemed suitable, but Jonathan and his alter ego seemed to know whom his own alter ego was. That was not suitable. And if he left Jonathan here, how would he get information about the toxin? The police would take Jonathan into custody.

Well, leaving with Jonathan was going to be more difficult, but not impossible. With that, he punched the Scarecrow in the face, and caught his unconscious body before it fell, carrying it back upstairs, burlap mask and all.

____________________

 

Later when Jonathan wakes up it takes a few moments to orient himself. Sometimes it takes a few minutes before he can properly remember the things that occurred while the Scarecrow took over, and even then it's always hazy memories, like a half forgotten dream. But before he can get his head together this time he notices the Batman standing a few feet away. Instinctively, he reaches for the supply of toxin he usually keeps in his wrist, but finds that it' gone. No real loss, Jonathan concludes, he wasn't really going to poison Bruce again.

"What's going on?" Jonathan tries to quell the fear; he doesn't want to be Scarecrow right now.

"I want information. What are you planning filling the city's water supply with that poison?"

"Bruce?"

"Scarecrow?

"No, " Jonathan shakes his head slowly. "I'm Jonathan."

Bruce walks closer to Jonathan's form, still lying there, "What are you planning," he yells.

"They're going to hold the city ransom."

"Who's they?" Bruce demands.

"Ras Al Ghul."

"Ras Al Ghul is dead. I watched him die."

"I talked to him on the phone yesterday."

Bruce stops short at that. Of course Ras Al Ghul was dead. But that doesn't mean that someone couldn't be using the name for notoriety.

"Why did you do it?" Bruce had meant to ask where Ras Al Ghul could be found. He was really trying to ask how the pollution of the water supply could be reversed. What he really wanted to know was when the whole ransom plan was suppose to take place. But he could not help but wonder how his friend had fallen to the corruption.

"Scarecrow did it," he said, and Jonathan began to laugh sounding half crazed.

Bruce injected him with the sedative, and then handcuffed his hands together. The sedative should at least last the duration of his birthday party upstairs.

 

________________

While Bruce was out saving the world. Alfred was down in the batcave with an unknown but impressive looking bat weapon and a very much awake Jonathan Crane.

"That must be some party upstairs," Jonathan commented as another loud crash could be heard.

"That would be Wayne Manor burning to the ground."

"Pity," Jonathan commented blandly, "and where is Bruce?"

"He's out saving Gotham from your poison."

Jonathan sat up on the table he'd been placed on, his hands were still handcuffed. He tried to look around and take in his surroundings, but his glasses were gone. The sound of water, the sound of the bats flying by, Bruce had made his sanctuary at the bottom of the well he had fell in as a boy. Jonathan was sure he could spend a lifetime trying to do psychoanalysis of what would make Bruce come to this. Perhaps Bruce was afflicted with multiple-personality disorder as he was. That would be a less intimidating idea than the possibility that Bruce was completely sane and embracing his own fears. If Bruce were insane, there was always medication. 

"I merely made it. I wasn't intending to poison Gotham."

"Oh really," Alfred said with disbelief, "you were just an innocent in all this I suppose."

"No, that's far from true." Jonathan looked at Alfred then. "Well, go on say it. Don't let the British etiquette keep you from scolding me."

"How could you poison Bruce," Alfred half-shouted. He inclined his head and proceeded in a quieter tone, as a disappointed parent to their child. "After all the Wayne family has done for you."

"Yes, I never did thank you for all those lawyers when I was in school. I was never formally charged you know, but then Wayne's lawyers were always the best money could buy,” he said and moved his legs to dangle off the side of the table. "I would never have poisoned Bruce. How was I suppose to know he was Batman, I thought Bruce was dead. He never even came to say hello when he returned to Gotham."

"We did a lot more than cover up your mess at school. You were always a bit snotty, even as a child. But I never thought you capable of these recent events."

"Really, Alfred?" Jonathan said with a quirked eyebrow. "Even after I killed that boy in school?"

Alfred studied Jonathan long and hard for a moment, and Jonathan stared back unblinkingly. It wasn't very hard since Alfred was only half way in focus. 

"You would never poison Bruce? And if that poison that's in the water were to be released, wouldn't that have poisoned Bruce and myself?"

Jonathan smirked then. "But then you know as well as I that the water in Wayne Manor comes from these caves."

"And therefore our water supply would have been untainted. But what if we'd been in the city."

Jonathan shook his head. "Ras Al Ghul is planning the hit in a month, when you go to England for your niece’s birthday. Bruce wasn't in Gotham when all this began."

Alfred shook his head. "No, everything is happening tonight."

"The antidote will keep Bruce immune for at least 3 more days. But if they set off the vaporizer, the Narrows will turn into a nightmare."

"So now we wait."

 

___________________________________________________

Bruce and Jonathan were standing in front of the rubble that was once Wayne Manor. It was only the very next day. Bruce was tired, and Jonathan was nervous standing next to his childhood friend. Alfred had been asleep when Bruce returned to the Batcave. Jonathan had merely been sitting there swinging his legs and suddenly Bruce was 10 years old again coming out into the garden to meet the little boy his mother had invited over for a play date.

There was little that could tie Jonathan directly to the madness in the narrows. All the witnesses were either dead, certifiably insane, or Batman. There was no physical evidence. And anything circumstantial could be easily swept up by Wayne’s lawyers. But how could he justify releasing Jonathan back into the city. Arkham perhaps, then. Obviously, Jonathan was sick if he had taken to wearing a mask and calling himself... Bruce breathed deeply and decided to ignore a very difficult decision. 

So now, Alfred was on the phone trying to make arrangements for a crew to come and a clean up this mess and rebuild the mansion. Jonathan had been waiting for police sirens, men in white coats, anything. He obviously had underestimated Bruce's friendship if the man wasn't even going to reprimand him. He'd spent the last few hours just following Bruce along waiting. 

"I think I'm going to go to Florida perhaps, visit my mother,” Jonathan felt like an idiot for saying it. Really, he just couldn't stand this silence anymore.

Bruce focused on him then. "Should I be worried about Scarecrow?" It came out as something of a threat.

Well, yes of course, Jonathan wanted to shout at Bruce's stupidity. "You have nothing to worry about, I assure you." He hadn't lied, not really. Neither Jonathan nor Scarecrow would ever intentionally hurt Bruce, the only man that had protected them all those years from the other boys. The rest of the world though, was another story.

"I don't think you should continue your career in psychiatry. You might unintentionally hurt someone." It came out as another threat, and Jonathan wanted to protest, but was confident that he could eventually, with patience, disappear from Wayne radar and Bruce's watchful eye. He just had to go far enough away into a secluded enough place.

"Right," Jonathan offered carefully. "I'll give my mother your regards." 

A few hours later, a car had come for Jonathan to take him to the airport where there was a plane ticket to Florida waiting for him courtesy of Wayne Enterprises. As the car drove of Jonathan kept his eyes n Bruce from the window. Bruce never looked away, until finally, the car sped off and they lost sight of one another.


	2. Scarecrow Returns

Jonathan did end up in Florida with his mother. She was of course very happy to see him. She had seen the news about Gotham and was very worried when he wasn't answering his phone. Jonathan tried to get a job in the pharmaceutical office of her retirement home, but somehow they changed their minds about hiring him. He had no proof that Bruce was behind the sudden dismissal, only suspicions.

Of course, Jonathan hadn't been able to stay in Florida for long. He had no income and he couldn't live at the retirement home. With some money from his mother he managed to move to Colorado Springs and work as a library assistant. Jonathan faked a resume where his time at Arkham was reduced to record keeping, and all but his bachelor's degree was left out. His mother's neighbor asked her son, a library director in Colorado for a favor. All Jonathan had to due in exchange was give the lady the first dance at the annual retirees ball.

Colorado Springs wasn't a bad place, but Jonathan hated it just the same. It seemed that no matter where he was he would always have the same problems. He could not find work in psychiatry or pharmaceuticals, most likely due to Bruce's influence. His snobbery allowed no friends. The work was unchallenging and the patrons disgusted him with their ignorance. And his sex life had been reduced to street whores. . 

Not that he'd been having so much fun in Gotham either. He hated everyone at Arkham. Well, that wasn't completely true, a few patients made for the only stimulating conversation Jonathan had for years. His only friend in school had been Bruce. All the other boys would call him a fag and beat him up whenever Bruce wasn't around to protect him. Most of the boys father's were employed by Thomas Wayne and would not go against Bruce, except behind his back.

Jonathan had been in a relationship once, back when he was getting his PhD. Michael had been the best thing in his life ever. It was the only time Jonathan had taken his self-medication to suppress Scarecrow. After that disastrous night where they had both been beaten within an inch of their lives, Michael got scared and left school. And Jonathan, who only regretted that he only killed one of those brainless jocks, decided that Scarecrow was better suited for the dirty work. As soon as he got out of the hospital, he threw away the medication.

Scarecrow saved him in Colorado Springs. One night when he picked up the wrong man standing on the side of the road. It wasn't Jonathan's fault the man had been standing in the streets where he usually picked up a stud. The man was offended when he realized Jonathan mistook him for a whore. After the first punch landed on his face, Scarecrow took over and punched back. The man wasn't dead, at least not when Scarecrow pushed him out of the car.

The fear took over then, and Jonathan retreated more often as Scarecrow got them as far from Colorado Springs as possible.

And that was how he's ended up here in Las Vegas. It was a good place to disappear for awhile. Unfortunately that also meant that Jonathan had very little money and could not get a job under his real name. That was hardly a problem though, so long as a person was willing to a little degradation, Las Vegas could be very accommodating.

He'd been working at the peepshow for three months now under the name Patrick, and using the stage name Kitten. Finding a job had been terribly easy once Jonathan started batting his eyelashes like a flaming queen. He did not feel it boasting to say he was exceedingly pretty. It was only a statement of fact. And while Jonathan preferred to rely on his intelligence, it was stupid not to use his looks to his advantage.

This type of work was terribly easy, mostly he sat there on a swing wearing lingerie while men fed quarters into the slot. But Jonathan found the whole thing very entertaining. It was almost like being a therapist again. He found himself analyzing his clients. He even had a couple of regulars who actually returned for what most resembled a therapy session except that they suddenly ended with Jonathan exposing himself.

If a man asked him for his name, they were lonely. If they asked him straight away to start taking off his clothes, they were cheap. Sometimes they would just sit there quietly for awhile. That meant they were unsure of themselves. Jonathan would then have to prompt them, guide them through the experience like a patient in therapy. And sometimes his biting sarcasm and cutthroat insults were what bad little boys wanted. All in all, it was one of Jonathan's favorite jobs to date.

On this particular day the most recent customer had just been sitting there for about a minute now, quietly. 

"Are you going to talk to me baby, I'm here for your pleasure, you know," Jonathan said in his Kitten voice.

"I'm not quite sure what I'm suppose to say." Ah, a novice then, Jonathan thought, swinging back and forth in his new blue negligee.

"You can tell me what you like."

"What do men usually ask you to do?"

Obviously this man was also afraid of sounding like a pervert. That would be quite the accomplishment in this place. Jonathan had yet to hear anything shocking. 

"Strip slowly is the biggest request. Would you like that?"

"Would you take off the make up and the wig as well?"

Well, that was a very annoying request, but not unheard of. Putting the wig on securely was a bit of a pain in the ass for someone who had short hair all their life that required very little grooming. He'd just have to run to the dressing room to reapply it quickly after this guy left. 

"If that's what you want," Jonathan tried to croon. He slowly started to remove the see through outer robe.

"No," the man said. "It was a question, not a request."

Well, this was odd. Jonathan stopped any motions to remove his clothing, and continued swinging.

"Take your time sweetie, I've got nothing but time," Jonathan said.

"Do you like it here?"

Oh great. Confused, novice, and lonely. These type of men always required the most amount of work and time from him.

"Yes, actually. Not what you'd call strenuous work."

"Did you work as a prostitute also?"

"No actually. You've got the wrong establishment."

"Your mother would be heartbroken."

Confused, novice, lonely, and with a sense of morality. This man was either going to try and save his soul or burn down the club.

"You don't know my mother. She could have been helping me put my make-up on backstage for all you know."

"Your mother's in Florida."

That stopped Jonathan short. This could be some psycho stalker. Perhaps that guy from Colorado Springs. Or a customer who had asked him to go home with them and he had turned down. He could feel the fear starting, the sound of the crows.

"Don't start panicking Jonathan , it's just me, Bruce."

This did little to alleviate his fears. Why was Bruce here? It had been 2 years since that day in Gotham when he'd gotten on that plane. He started thinking up escape routes from the club. Knowing Bruce, knowing Batman, the attempt of flight would be frivolous. Bruce did not track him all the way to Las Vegas to just let him escape.

"I'm here to take you home."

"Your going to walk me upstairs? Is that why you've come from Gotham?" Jonathan lived right above the club. His fears were growing, the sound of the crows getting louder. Scarecrow hated to take over when Jonathan was in drag. 

"You're coming back to Gotham with me. I told you no more Scarecrow. That guy in Colorado Springs is alive by the way."

"Are the police outside? Will I be sent back to Colorado Springs?"

"There are no police, only me and I am more than enough to take you back. The guy in Colorado Springs says he didn't get a good look at you."

"What makes you think I did it then?"

"It was an assumption. You didn't go to work the next day and were never heard from again in Colorado. The victim had gotten into a car at the street you favored for picking up male prostitutes. But the trail of crimes performed by a man with a burlap sack over his face calling himself the Scarecrow was a dead giveaway, Jonathan. I tracked you to Nevada, but it took me two months to find you here."

"So then what are you going to do with me in Gotham?"

"You're going to live with me at Wayne manor where I can keep an eye on you. Go change now, we can go upstairs to get whatever it is you want to take with you. If you run I'll just find you."

Jonathan stood up from the swing slowly. And walked off into the dressing room. Jonathan removed all the make-up and the wig. He moved slowly, prolonging the moment when he would have to face Bruce again. He changed from the lingerie to a pair of jeans and a white shirt. 

When he opened the door to leave Bruce was standing just outside. The man hadn't aged in 2 years at all. He looked concerned and Jonathan was reminded of the assessment he'd made of the stranger behind the glass. At that moment Bruce did indeed look unsure, lonely, and like he wanted to save Jonathan's soul. But that didn't take away from the strength in that body. And Jonathan had to stop from licking his lips at what a handsome man Bruce had grown into.

"What makes you think you can control Scarecrow?" Jonathan asked.

"I don't, but I've deducted that somehow you can control it. I imagine your personality must have split off after a traumatic event, and you must have a trigger."

"How utterly textbook of you Bruce," Jonathan move through the corridor with Bruce trailing behind him. "People with multiple personality disorder cannot control the change."

"I believe you can."

"And why's that?" Jonathan was half-way up the stairs.

"Because I know you."

Jonathan smirked, there was no need to argue with Bruce. Kitten, his stage persona, had not evolved into an entire separate personality. Perhaps the Scarecrow did not want any more crowding. But Jonathan believed that the real reason was because Jonathan was enjoying himself too much for that to happen. Scarecrow developed slowly after every beating as a child. It was not a single traumatic event as Bruce believed. But to save Bruce any guilt from all the bullies he couldn't save Jonathan from, he would remain silent.

Once inside the apartment he quickly packed a few things into a back pack. He would need clothes, but he would have no need of the make-up, wigs, and costumes from work. He packed one set of everything anyway.

Bruce was silent in the room, watching Jonathan pack. He wanted to tell him not to bother, that he'd buy Jonathan anything he needed and certainly better clothing that the second hand thrift Jonathan was packing into a tote bag. But then Bruce noticed Jonathan packing away the women's lingerie and the words died in his throat. It was the first time Bruce would remember feeling lust towards his friend.

"And what will I do at Wayne Manor then? Will you lock me up in one the rooms? Will I be assisting Alfred with the housecleaning? Should I be worried for my virtue? " Jonathan looked back at Bruce with a straight face on the last question. Bruce looked a bit uncomfortable. 

"I was hoping you could help me with my work."

"At Wayne Enterprises?" Jonathan asked with disbelief.

"No. My other work."

Jonathan arched an eyebrow then. "You still trust me." It wasn't a question.

"I want to trust you. And you're a genius. Some of these new criminals are not above chemical warfare."

"Like me?"

"Stop trying to goad me and get downstairs. I'll be lucky if the car is even still there."

The rest of the trip back was mostly silent. The car was indeed still outside and in one piece. When they arrived at the airport Bruce's plane was ready and they waited a short amount of time before the plane was clear for take off. Jonathan looked out the window of the plane and wondered how things would be back in Gotham. The Scarecrow living with the Batman? Well, he certainly wouldn't be bored.


	3. Batman and Scarecrow Forever

Life at Wayne Manor was surprisingly harmonious since Bruce had brought Jonathan back to reside there. Bruce didn't trust Jonathan to live on his own and seldom let him leave the manor without a chaperone. Of course, there was no reason for Jonathan to leave anyway since everything was provided for by Alfred's care and Bruce's money.

An added and unseen benefit was that Bruce no longer had to hop around town like a spoiled billionaire playboy. The rumor mill went into overdrive speculating as to where Dr. Carne had been these past few years and what exactly was his relationship with Bruce Wayne. The most outlandish reports had them as lovers and Bruce saw the opportunity in that idea. No one would question why Bruce was hardly ever seen around town if he had a lover waiting for him at home. Bruce fed the rumors by taking Jonathan to dinner at expensive restaurants. Jonathan helped by answering the door as Kitten every once in awhile. 

Professionally, the two worked well together. Jonathan found a permanent cure for the toxins Poison Ivy had released on the city a month prior to Bruce coming to find him. Scarecrow spent an hour ranting about unimaginative, copycat whores, and Batman reminded him to take his meds. If Bruce was at the office, and there was no imminent threat from a big crazy nemesis, Jonathan spent his days reading or riding his new horse Nightmare, a birthday gift from Bruce.

It was the most peaceful Jonathan could ever remember living. It was also very lonely. Jonathan found himself with a growing attraction towards Bruce. He had always thought Bruce handsome, and had once in awhile indulged in a small fantasy or two about his longtime friend. But lately, it had just grown. All the days with little to do made him remember Michael and how wonderful it had felt to have someone. He couldn't help but look at Bruce with a little longing. And somewhere in his head he could hear the Scarecrow laugh faintly. 

It was about 7 months after his return to Gotham that Jonathan was kidnapped by the new villain, Edward Nygma, or the Riddler. Apparently, the former employee of Wayne Enterprises was a little miffed at Bruce Wayne for being fired. Instead of taking out the remaining employees with an AK-47, Edward decided to kidnap Bruce's greatest possession, his lover, and ask for ransom. At least that's what Scarecrow understood from overhearing Riddler talking to his cronies. 

"Are you comfortable, Dr. Crane?"

"Mr. Nygma..." Jonathan started, he was currently tied into a straight jacket, which he found incredibly ironic, and strangely comfortable. He was not however, tied to the chair he was occupying.

"Riddler, Mr. Crane. You know, I heard a little rumor from some of my men here that you use to go by the name Scarecrow, can I call you Scarecrow?"

"Why didn't you just call yourself 'Enigma'?"

The Riddler looked slightly put off. If the frown didn't give him away then the sudden jab to Jonathan 's ankle with a green cane was a dead giveaway. Jonathan tried to hold back a yell of pain, but it came out as a moan anyway. He had missed his medication, thanks to the untimely kidnappers, and he could feel Scarecrow scratching at the edges of his skull. After 12 hours of these people, and the constant pain in his head from where they had knocked him unconscious, Jonathan gladly gave way to his alter ego and retreated within his own mind.

It wasn't a startling thing to watch. In fact no one would have really noticed anything unusual as Jonathan's grown of pain gave way to the Scarecrow's maniacal laughter.

"Did you like that Dr. Crane?" the Riddler taunted.

Scarecrow looked up straight into the eyes of the Riddler with a smirk and the Riddler felt a shock at fully realizing that the Scarecrow was a whole different person to Dr Crane. The shock was long enough to distract him, as Scarecrow stood up swiftly and jumped on the Riddler knocking him to the ground. Quickly, before the cronies could intervene, Scarecrow had landed his knee into Riddler's groin, and his forehead into Riddler's nose.

"You can call me Scarecrow now!" he yelled, as the Riddler's cronies pulled him off a bleeding, gasping Riddler. 

"Restrain him," Riddler managed to gasp out.

Scarecrow laughed loudly and with much enthusiasm as the men proceeded to land hits on him with a slew of green canes while others moved to tie him down to the chair he had been inhabiting prior. Eventually, a blow to the head rendered him unconscious.

__________________________________________

 

When Scarecrow next woke he was greeted by the much welcome site of Batman undoing the ropes tying him to the chair. There were at least five of Riddler's goons littering the floor surrounding him. But the Riddler was no where to be seen. Scarecrow stood up and Batman began to untie the straightjacket sleeves behind his back. 

However, When Batman went to undo the ties to the jacket on his chest, the Scarecrow stopped him. "Leave it on, " he said as he took his hands out from one the openings in the sleeve, "I want to keep it. It goes well with my slacks. Now if I only had my mask."

Batman reached behind his back on the utility belt and pulled out the burlap sack that was Scarecrow's mask and held it out in front of him.

Scarecrow took the mask slowly with disbelief. The two looked each other in the eyes and both felt a deep rush of mutual understanding. Batman undeniably accepted that his friend was two different people. He was sure that the mask was hiding Bruce Wayne's flush of embarrassment. But Scarecrow understood that Bruce Wayne's fractured psyche could feel some empathy for Jonathan's completely shattered one.

Batman indeed felt himself flush at the look in Scarecrow's eyes. The madness in them was hard to miss, but this look held so much gratitude that Batman could barely hold the gaze. When Jonathan had been kidnapped he knew that Scarecrow would quickly emerge to protect Jonathan . In the past that had been Bruce's job, in school, protecting Jonathan from bullies. But Bruce had left him behind on his rode of self-discovery. Alfred told him some of the things that had happened in those missing years with Jonathan, and Bruce couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty.

He had kept Scarecrow's mask in the bat cave, along with some other things he had somehow come to keep of other villains in the past years. He knew that if he found his friend that it would be in the form of Scarecrow, and feeling his own mask about his face, he had grabbed the burlap.

"Thank you," Scarecrow said. He shook himself from the moment and turned on the voice box before putting it on over his head. "I don't suppose you brought my sythe too? "

"I didn't know you had one. Had I know I still wouldn't have brought it."

Scarecrow laughed. "No matter," he said. He walked around to one of Riddler’s men on the floor and grabbed the green cane by his side. "How about a cane, then? Unless you'll let me have on of the guns?"

"No guns. Let's go."

"Are we going to beat the Riddler now?"

"I'll go after Riddler, as soon as I get you to the tumbler.”

"Oh my, " Scarecrow said, and laughed. "When did I turn into a damsel in distress?"

"This way," Batman answered indicating one of the doors in the room. Scarecrow never did learn where he was. It looked like an old warehouse, but that was so terribly predictable. Of course, perhaps that's how Batman had found him so quickly. 

They went through several hallways before running into any more of Riddler's men. Batman made quick work of them, and Scarecrow did manage to help out a bit by clubbing some of them in various body parts with the cane. 

At the stairwell, Batman had them go up until they came through a door and found themselves on the roof. There was only one red light on the roof, but the moon, the stars, and all of Gotham were lit up in the night providing them light.

"You do remember that I can't fly right?" Scarecrow turned to Batman as they stood at the edge.

"I'll lower you down to the ground. The tumbler is in the alley. As soon as I see you get in, I'll send the car back to the cave while I look for the Riddler."

Scarecrow took off the mask then. "Doesn't the hero usually get a kiss for luck?" Scarecrow quickly reached up around Batman's neck and pulled him in for a kiss. He lingered a bit, so the kiss could not be called quick, and when he went to break it he tugged a little on Batman's bottom lip.

Before he could move back though, Batman had grabbed him by the waist and pulled him forward, meeting their lips again with full intention. Scarecrow held on to Batman's neck as their mouths met in a series of kisses, each one becoming more and more bold, until at last tongues met and their bodies were completely flushed together.

It was Batman that broke the kiss first and pulled back slightly. Scarecrow licked his lips and smirked.

"If I’m a damsel in distress." Scarecrow said. "that makes you my knight in black armor." He laughed as he put the burlap back over his head.

"Lets get you home," Batman said, then grabbed him tightly and jumped off the roof.

 

_____________________________________________________

 

In the two years Jonathan had been gone, Bruce Wayne had tried to date two women seriously. The first had been a journalist named Vicki Vale. She had also known about his dual identities and Bruce was glad he could share that type of intimacy with someone he was sleeping with. Unlike the models he usually took out for appearances, he didn't have to lie about where he was, or where all the bruises came from. Vicki, though, could not be kept happy for long. She could live with Bruce, but the sudden disappearances, the fear that Batman might not prevail, was something she grew tired of.

The second woman had been Salina Kyle, or Catwoman, as he'd discovered. Bruce was sure he'd found a soulmate this time. Salina was another lost soul with a fragile hold of her mind. Bruce didn't feel like some sort of freak for being Batman. Salina was beautiful, smart, and could certainly hold her own. But where Vicki couldn't handle the Batman part of him, Salina couldn't accept Bruce Wayne.

The Riddler escaped, perhaps while Batman had been busy saving the Scarecrow. As he began to take off the batsuit and slipped into a robe in the batcave, Bruce was remembering the kiss on the roof with Scarecrow. He knew Jonathan found him attractive, could feel his friend's eyes on him at times, and Bruce could not decide if a sexual relationship between them was a bad idea or a terrible idea.

Bruce did not consider himself bisexual, although he had slept with men before. Two to be specific. One was a man a few years older named Curt, an English rock singer he'd met in Tokyo. The second was Ducard. It was Bruce who had initiated it, kissing Ducard one night after a whole day of training. Ducard had looked at him and laughed softly, and pulled him back for another kiss.

When Bruce reached the manor through the elevator, he went straight for Jonathan's room. Alfred was closing the door softly behind him while leaving the room with a tray holding a half empty glass of water and a prescription bottle.

"Good evening, sir. I suppose you'll be needing the rest of this water?"

Bruce took two painkillers from the prescription bottle and used the remaining water to wash them down.

"How is he?" Bruce asked with a head nod towards Jonathan's bedroom.

"They're fine, sir. I stayed until Jonathan fell asleep. Did you catch the Riddler?"

"No he got away. I was going to look in on Jonathan."

"He's asleep."

"Well, yes, " Bruce said a bit sheepishly. He still felt a need to see his friend for himself. "I'll be quiet."

"As you wish, Master Bruce." Alfred gave him a calculated look, part surprise, part knowing.

Bruce leaned against the wall behind him looking lost and Alfred took pity on him.

"What's troubling you, sir?"

Bruce gazed at Jonathan's bedroom door and Alfred took pity on him.

"You know that however you look at it, Jonathan should be in jail or hospitalized. You brought him here instead, and honestly, I'm not the least bit surprised."

"Why?"

"Because he's your friend, your oldest friend, and you don't want to be alone anymore."

"There's more," Bruce looked at Alfred, a bit ill at the thought of what Alfred might say.

"I know, sir. Why else would you be standing in agony outside his bedroom door?"

Bruce gave a small laugh. 

"Just remember that the master bedroom, your bedroom, was made for two people. Goodnight, sir." Alfred walked off with the tray and left Bruce standing in the hall. It took all of two seconds before he strode to the door and went inside as quietly as possible.

Jonathan was nothing short of beautiful. Bruce had noticed this many years ago when they were both still in school together. Sometimes girls would ask him after Jonathan, and it took a long while for Bruce to realize that Jonathan's lack of interest was not shyness. 

Bruce went to the bedside. Slowly he pulled back the covers and picked Jonathan up into his arms. Jonathan made a start, but Bruce held him fast.

"It's Bruce, calm down," he whispered down at his friend.

Jonathan looked up at him then, and relaxed. He reahed an arm up to wrap around Bruce's shoulder blade for support. "What happened?"

"You fell asleep in the wrong bed."

"I don't remember that," Jonathan said. "Sorry. Thank you for tonight." 

"No need for thanks, I enjoyed that kiss as much as you did I'm sure."

Jonathan laughed quietly. "Is that what you want to talk about now?' That was Scarecrow and Batman."

"Same difference." Bruce walked into his bedroom. Alfred had been kind enough to turn the bedsheets down for him.

"We can talk about this is in the morning, surely."

Bruce lowered him down unto one side of the bed and Jonathan turned over and snuggled in. Bruce took off his robe and lay it on the footboard of the bed. The dip in the bed caught Jonathan's attention, and he opened his eyes then with considerable effort. Bruce, naked Bruce, was in his direct line of sight, but so was the room decorations behind him. His sleep addled mind took longer than normal to realize that he was in Bruce's room, not his own.

"Is this a hint?" Jonathan said looking at Bruce.

"I thought I was being very forward."

Jonathan was fully awake now, no doubt about it. Amazed that Bruce was actually propositioning him, Jonathan took a little longer to react. But when he did, "Well, allright then," he said and reached for Bruce with his hand. 

Bruce needed no further encouragement and moved in to kiss Jonathan before the Dr's hand had even reached the back of his neck. He could barely contain his excitement, and quickly moved over Jonathan so his friend was laying flush underneath him.

Jonathan responded immediatly, too much pent up sexual frustration. Bruce's weight above him was as good as he had imagined. He was unsurprised that Bruce would want to be on top, had expected nothing less. Thankfully, Jonathan was limber enough, and he slid his legs around Bruce's waist, and his arms aroud Bruce's back effectively trapping the billionaire above him.

Bruce began kissing Jonathan around the neck, behind the ear. 

"Well, you sure... (moan)... were confidant." 

"I think it was subconcious," Bruce muttered and moved down Jonathan chest and started unbuttoning the sleepshirt, kissing the newly exposed skin. "But there is lube in the bedside drawer."

The Dr. laughed then, loudly and heartily. He sat up a bit and removed the remainder of his own clothes as quickly as possible almost knocking Bruce in his hurry. Bruce simply smiled at his friend. And when Jonathan finally emerged from the pajamas with his hair all tousled and a smile, Bruce captured his lips again and they fell back on the bed.

"Get the lube already," Jonathan whispered.

"Eager. I like that," Bruce responded. He got up quickly and reached into the drawer for the tube. He slicked up two of his fingers as Jonathan spread his legs open looking at him with anticipation. Bruce slowly breached Jonathan's entrance with one finger, and then shortly with another, preparing his new lover. Jonathan moved his hips in tempo with Bruce's explorations, moaning softly.

"I'm not a virgin you know," Jonathan groaned out.

Bruce just gave him a smirk before moving his mouth over Jonathan's erection and giving the tip a quick lap of his toungue. Jonathan sat up at that, resting his weight on his elbows to watch Bruce better. The bat did not disappoint, running his tongue over Jonathan's cock before taking as much as he could inside his mouth. Bruce's fingers kept stretching Jonathan, and the double sensation was quickly driving the Dr. to the edge.

"Bruce, stop,... (pant)... I can't," Jonathan tried to get out. 

Bruce released Jonathan's erection and slowly removed his fingers from inside his lover. Jonathan was a right mess at the moment, so close to cuming, he couldn't even form the words to beg Bruce to hurry. Instead Jonathan just watched with wrapped attention as Bruce lubed up his own erection.

Bruce moved in over Jonathan, Lifting the other man's legs with bended knees towards his chest.

"Are you comfortable enough?" Bruce asked.

"Don't care, Bruce, just fuck me already."

Bruce nodded, and let go of one of Jonathan's legs to be able to guide his own cock to Jonathan's entrance. Slowly, he breached Jonathan. Once he was completely inside Bruce moved Jonathan's legs onto his own shoulders before he started thrusting. He picked up speed quickly with short shallow thrusts, encouraged by Jonathan's breathy moan, and fingers tightenig around Bruce's arms as Jonathan braced himself underneath Bruce's body.

Soon, Jonathan was desperate to cum, his cock was brushing up against Bruce's stomach in a both painful and pleasurable manner. He reached between their bodies and began to stroke himself. It was not long that a final groan and call for god escaped Jonathan's mouth.

Bruce could feel Jonathan tremble beneath him with the force of his orgasm, and did not try to hold back when he could feel the tremors of the Dr.'s body moving around his cock. With a few final thrusts, he came inside his friend's body, burying his face into Jonathan's neck as his heartbeat returned to normal

A few moments later, Bruce pulled out of his new lover and moved to lay next to him. Jonathan lowered his legs to the mattress with some relief. Bruce grabbed his robe from the foot of the bed and gently cleaned up himself and Jonathan.

"Do you mind if I sleep here tonight?" Jonathan asked.

"This is your bedroom now."

"Well, I guess that says it all then," he said. 

Bruce grabbed Jonathan and moved him closer, He kissed Jonathan's temple and got himself comfortable on the bed. "We can talk in the morning if you wish."

Jonathan made no reply, but settled himself into Bruce's arms and drifted off to sleep again, content in his best friend's arms.


End file.
